Neutral
by Stitchar
Summary: Being a Neutral is hard when a war broke out. All the ones you know and love had split and you have to choose a side. But which side is good? And…which side is fighting for freedom? 1st chapter-Swindle


**Neutral**

Summary: Being a Neutral is hard when a war broke out. All the ones you know and love had split and you have to choose a side. But which side is good? And…which side is fighting for freedom?

Units of time:

Megacycle: 1 day

Mega-cycle (or meg-cycle): 1 hour

Stellar cycle/Solar-cycle: 1 year

Cycle: 1 minute

* * *

Neutral Part 1

-Swindle-

He couldn't remember how long it had been ever since the war had broke out. All he can remember is that there was just hate between the two sides. Oh how he hated the war had ruined the love of friendship between the family and friends he had made so many years ago, almost ripping each other's spark out like they were sworn enemies for years.

Swindle, before war, was just nothing but a young bot learning on the trade and quite successful one as well. He loved it and was content with it.

That is until all Unicron's pit came loose.

Everyone was called to pick a side, considering which ideas is the best ideals and political of constitutional, but there was small hint of rule saying;

'If your friend or a family choose the other side, they are not yours to help.'

Swindle remembered that time when his creators were arguing over on which ideas is far more better and soon megacycle later, his mech creator took the Decepticon side while his femme creator took the Autobot side.

His friends as well took the side, as they wrestle and fight each other until one from the opposing side was permanently off lined.

Swindle, scared of this happening to his family and friends, ran away from his home, stealing a cargo ship and left Cybertron. At that time, he called himself Neutral.

As he traveled around the space with a small simple plan, he decided to open a small market of his own, where he can travel and sell any other bots for weapons or energon. It wasn't easy choosing, but he was lucky enough that there were a lot of Energons stored in the cargo, but knowing that selling Energon won't solve a problem of getting credits (Energon is too precious to be sold.), he decided to go on the harder resource, weapons.

But finding weapons were hard, and it wasn't easy. Swindle learned the hard way that he has to steal any weapons from both sides in order to sell. Swindle learned on how to invent some of those same items but used his color scheme or different color score to avoid any other harassing inventors. After collecting enough data and weapons he needed, he opened his small shop at the small planet that was known place for shopping.

Hopefully, a Decepticon or an Autobot might be there.

When Swindle reached the small planet, he knew he was early, since there were few merchants walking around and taking some spot that were open, ready for any other buyers to come. Many, Swindle realized were mostly young and held no alliances from either both sides.

Swindle was trying to be careful as he find his spot, he knew that most merchants don't care whether if their spot were taken are not as there are enough space to open. If he was right last solar-cycle ago it was counted up to seven hundred or at least a thousand.

Setting his place up, he bumped against someone next to him and as he turned around, he met a mech that was taller than him. And if he was right, this mech's armor has spikes; his face was white with some few black tribal marks on him.

"Why 'ello there. Ya new Kid?" The mech's vocalizer sounded like rust and deep but Swindle didn't pay any mind to it. Yes, he was new but he really didn't want to be the one behind or anything.

"…I guess so," He replied as he set the desk (he stole it from the abandoned hardware store or something he couldn't remember.) "I just started opened my shop today. You?"

"Been here for almost a stellar cycle Kid. And I can tell you one thing; here, everything is an competition as every merchant, weapon-dealers, and medicals here will try and convince every bot around to buy anything as long as they can make a deal." The white and green mech explained to him as he wrapped his arms around Swindle, like they were friends for whole life, "But of course, you have to be brave when every buyers are here. One advice Kid; don't sweat and just have fun." And with that the green mech went back to his selling post and set the weapon mods neatly on the table.

Swindle soon guessed that he must be a weapon or arm-dealer, and went back to prepare his shop.

It was few mega-cycles later that the area was soon was bustled with consumers from both fractions, but it became a little problem since each two fractions were avoiding each other like virus and only buys from the merchants that held the same alliance.

Neutrals were considered lucky, as they were both bought form both fractions and held no argument if one made a deal or not. Swindle was, at first nervous but soon held his confidence as he finally did sold his few weapons (he made sure that there were no bugs in each of them.) to one pink and white Autobot Femme and to other black and white Decepticon mech.

The dealing however wasn't easy made. Swindle decided to work on that later.

Glad that he was able to sell half of his weapons, he took a small peek at the mech next to him, and saw that the mech seemed to be interested about his weapons he was selling.

"Nice little babies you have here Kid. Care to explain what this one will do?" He asked as he pointed at the small purple-tan ball that was set down at the table. Swindle picked it up and explained it to him

"Well, this small machine can jam any sensors and is also equipped with stasis suspension ray so you can catch any foes without hurting them." Swindle looked at the green mech and saw that he seemed to be interested. "Care to buy one?"

"Sorry Kid, but I don't make deals with other merchants, not yet anyway." The green mech replied as he winked at Swindle, "But I'll keep that in mind."

Few mega-cycles came and went and the open stores have now met their time to close. Swindle collected his items he had left and place them neatly in the box he had carried and folded the table at it went into the size of an handkerchief and placed it in the box.

"Hey Kid." Swindle looked up form his already finished work and saw the green white mech, "You coming back here again in next stellar cycle?" Swindle wasn't sure on what to answer that but he does have enough some scraps to create some new weapons…

"I guess so." Swindle answered, not even seemed to be too sure about this. The green mech before him smiled and held out his servos.

"Heh looks like this is going to be an interesting selling. Names Lockdown Kid."

"Swindle."

"Well, Swindle it seems that we might be having a _beautiful_ friendship throughout the time." Lockdown chuckled as he swung his large arms around Swindle as they both walked away form their spot. "Maybe I can teach you a few things or two on selling."

-.-

Many stellar cycles had passed and Swindle couldn't see Lockdown anymore. The war had started, he said as he walked off to his ship few cycles ago, there is no point on staying one planet that was about be turned into a battle field.

As Lockdown left, many other merchants soon left after, leaving the small planet bare. It was time for Swindle to leave as well, far away from the war.

But he also knew that running away, they would find a way to get him too.

So he traveled around the space, selling his machines to other bots for battle, but there are many who are too…greedy to make some sort of a deal. And Swindle learned many things about the war the hard way.

It just happened last few mega-cycle that one bot came up to him and started to make some harsh deals to him and when it started to get out of hand, Swindle accidentally killed him.

Now in panic, Swindle dragged the off lined body back to his ship and hid it in his closet, wondering what to do with it. Confused, he comm. the only mech he knew, Lockdown.

"Hello this is Lockdown, how may I help you?"

"Lockdown it's me. Swindle."

"Swindle, Kid! It's been stellar cycles! How's the selling thing been doing to ya Kid?" Lockdown seemed to be happy to find Swindle. Too fine. it almost scared Swindle that he shivered down to his main line.

In panic he explained Lockdown what he had done.

"Oh Primus…! Lockdown, you gotta help me. I just killed a mech!" there was silence in the end of the comm. and Swindle was getting nervous.

"It's war kid." Lockdown replied, as if he seemed tired of everything, "No one's going to blame on ya if you off lined a mech or not. and there's no blame on killing someone."

"So what do I do to his body?" Swindle asked, looking back at the closet he shoved the body in. Lockdown was laughing at the end, and it wasn't comforting him.

"Melt his armor for spare parts or use his mods for weapons, I don't care. It's war Kid, and there is no way that you can escape form this war." and with that Lockdown shut his comm. off leaving Swindle all alone in the silence, the body still buried in the closet.

-2 megacycle later-

Swindle dragged the body to the medical bay he had kept. The bay was small, but it can hold more than two cybertronians. There were some few needles, laser pods and some other items that Medics kept in order for any sick bots to come in.

Swindle laid the off lined body on the berth, it's body clanked and squeaked after the abuse of being shoved in the closet for long period of time. Swindle flinched when he heard the sound of each limb was doing.

It was nerving. But he has to do it.

Taking the laser scalpel he went to work, trying to hold his energon fuel from puking out.

-.-

It had been almost fifty stellar cycles now since the start of the battle, and Swindle soon got used to off lining other mechs or femmes who are not going on his way of selling. his guilt of off-lining others had now became numb and able to sell any other weapons by melting their armors for spare parts to make weapons.

That is until now.

Swindle got a call from an Autobot, claiming that they need to meet. Swindle has no clue of what was going on and decided it is best to figure out.

As he reached the location from the Autobot's message, he landed his ship almost far away, making sure it won't be stolen and headed off to meet this so said Autobot.

When he reached the area, he saw the forest green mech before him, somewhat smoking a cy-gar.

"You, Swindle?" the mech grunted as he took a small whiff to his cy-gar. Swindle almost grimaced at that.

"Yes…" He replied nervously as he glanced down at the mech's chasis, somehow there is a new symbol but it is highly evidence that it belonged to Autobots.

"The designation is Kup, the commander I believe to say so myself." Kup exclaimed not seemed to be happy about something.

'probably the war' Swindle thought as he stared down at his chasis. It seemed to mocked him with no symbol. but Swindle hates having one so he didn't care really.

"Right so what is it that you need me for?" Swindle asked hotly, his engine revving in heat anger. Kup rose his servos up in a mock surrender.

"Not here to make trouble lad, I just wanna ask you something-well more like the Council was asking…" Swindle frowned at this…He never heard about council needing something from him. In truth he never really liked the 'High Council' thing.

"So what is it then? Surly it better be good." Swindle drawled on, making sure his voice has some few sarcasm in it.

"Well, according to the High Council they said that the Decepticons were on ahead of everything-well except for science and defense we have Perceptor doing that for us, but that's not important. We are losing quite some few men out there and the Council wanted us to recruit many other Neutrals or Undecided as much as we can." Swindle made a small glare at that comment. So the High Council was desperate to recruit many others to become Autobot, but that's not his problem.

He's ready to leave this area.

"If you're asking me to join Autobots, you can forget it." He replied calmly, as he place his 'cheery' face up, trying not to be mad or anything. Kup frowned at Swindle's refusal but didn't complain at that comment.

"well… you better pick sides soon lad because Autobaots can be quite a persuading mass of heap of scraplets if you know what I mean."

"And what if I keep on refusing?"

"They'll use force and if possible, threaten you if you keep on refusing more." Kup replied as he walked away from the area. "so you better give us some sort of answer quick. the council don't take no for an answer." and with that their meeting soon ended

-.-

True to Kup's word the High Council wasn't too happy about his choice.

He received quite a lot of frequencies from other 'elite guards' they said and they threatened him that if he doesn't join they will sabotage the area of his air ship.

But it was an empty threat, to Swindle that is.

He didn't comm. any other bots for help, he knew that this is his own and only problem. He had been dependent on others too much and somehow he knew that he must do something about this.

He was still doing his arm-dealing yes, but somehow he also need to find a way to persuade any other mechs or femme to buy from him, and soon remembered a lesson he had gotten from Lockdown that the only way to have many others to buy for him is to be smooth-talking.

He's good at convincing others to try, so why didn't he thought of that? Oh that's right; too dependent to other.

Well, might as well get work again.

If only those Elite Guard frequencies would just stop then.

-.-

Swindle, after few steller Cycles on running away from the Elites guard, he decided to change his armor and his frequency so he won't be bothered. the last threat from an Elite named Powerglide had threatened him about locking him in the stckade forever.

He got a call from the Decepticon's side in past steller cycle, but he declined on koining side as he walked away from them. Strangely the Decepticons were generous and undestadable about many things.

He started to thought about joining.

Well, he'll make a choice when he reaches the Neutral Planet to change his whole body.

-.-

"And who is this?" Swindle nearly jumped as he saw the large silver mech before him, standing high and proud of his own status, "Never seen you before with a violet optics of yours..."

Megatron, was all Swindle thought as he saw the great leader of the Decepticons studying him as if he never seen an transformer with bright purple optics.

"Thiz mein liege, iz Zwindle. A zalezman- more ov a weaponz-dealer if vou will."

Swindle glanced at the other tall mech before him. He some speaks a different language, probably a inhabitant from the north-eastern part of cybertron, but his body structure tells that he was programed to fight in a ring for entertainment or something like that.

He paid his attention back to Megatron, who was looking at him with small hint of interest, "So...Swindle is it?" He asked quirking his eye ridge, as if he was confused about his name, "What weapons do you sell?"

-.-

It had been too long after the war. So many loss and memories of their old life was now burned from away from the roaring fire. Swindle felt nothing different, but he still wonder how long would this last.

Swindle even knew that someday-and was scaring himself for acting so mature-his spark will disappear before peace or any other final victory would be out. He knew that the Autobots are winning, but does he care? He gues not.

Swindle wasn't completely truly Decepticon, he may look like one, but his instincts and nature said something else-Neutral.

And srangely, Megatron was fine with it.

Why? He doesn't know. But he will eventually.

Just not today.


End file.
